In a powerful and unflinching address at the University of Papua New Guinea’ School of Humanities and Socia Sciences (SHSS) graduation held in Port Moresby city yesterday, East Sepik Governor Allan Bird called on the new graduates to rise above the negatives plaguing Papua New Guinea and lead the charge for national transformation.
“Today, you are not just graduates. You are survivors and symbols of resilience,” Bird said, speaking directly to the Class of 2025.
“In a country where crime, corruption, and hardship often define daily life, you have achieved what many never even begin.”
With more than half of the graduating class made up of women, Governor Bird especially praised their achievement, applauding both their determination and the support of their male counterparts. But the celebration came with a reality check.
“You are stepping into a broken system,” he told the audience.
“Law and order are crumbling, corruption trumps merit, basic services are failing, and inequality runs deep. Yet it is in these darkest times that history’s most powerful revolutions have been born.”
Citing transformative figures like Gandhi, Mandela, and PNG’s own Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare, Bird reminded the graduates that real change is born from courage, conviction and not comfort or convenience.
“You must refuse to accept the status quo,” he urged. “Diamonds are forged under pressure. You must be the diamonds that cut through the dysfunction.”
He challenged graduates not to view their degrees as mere qualifications, but as tools for rebuilding the nation whether in law, business, agriculture, or the humanities.
“Your degree is not just a piece of paper. It is a weapon for change,” Bird declared. “Use your education to rebuild communities, uplift families, and reimagine Papua New Guinea.”
The Governor also acknowledged the uncertainty many graduates feel about their future by reframing that discomfort as fuel for progress.
“This anxious feeling you carry today is not a weakness. It is your energy. It is your fire. Use it,” he said.
Governor Bird closed his speech with a rousing call to action, reminding graduates that they are now standing at a crossroads.
“Will you blame the system, or change it? Will you join the corruption, or fight it? Will you widen the divisions, or become the unity this country desperately needs?”
As the crowd stood in applause, it was clear that this was not just a graduation address. It was a challenge to a new generation to rise, rebuild, and reclaim the soul of their nation.